Thailand Constitutional Court dissolves main opposition Move Forward Party

Bangkok: Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday dissolved the main opposition Move Forward Party, ruling its efforts to amend a law against defaming the kingdom’s royal family violated the constitution.

The judges voted unanimously to order the dissolution of the Move Forward Party and impose a ban on 11 members of the party’s executive board from political activity for 10 years.

The party’s campaign to amend the royal insult law was considered an attempt to undermine the nation’s constitutional monarchy, the court said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Six members of the parliament who previously served as the disbanded party’s executive board members have now lost their MP status, including former party leaders Pita Limjaroenrat and Chaithawat Tulathon, as well as Deputy House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada, according to the court ruling. Pita said after the ruling that the group will continue its political agenda despite his absence, as details of a new party will be introduced on Friday.

“I will make sure that I pass the baton on to the next generation of leaders,” he told a press briefing. The dissolution came after the country’s Election Commission petitioned the Constitutional Court to disband the Move Forward Party following a ruling by the same court in January that ordered the party to cease any efforts aiming to abolish or amend the royal insult law.

The lese-majeste law, or Section 112 of the Criminal Code, stipulates that whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.

The Move Forward Party emerged as the largest party in the lower house of the National Assembly in Thailand’s general election last year, but its prime minister candidate fell short of securing the majority support of parliamentarians. (IANS)

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